"We're a team. Whatever happens, we move as one. Support each other and watch out for one another on that stage. Lets give our hundred percent and stand there with confidence. We're together in this."
Llana met each of their eyes one by one as their hands stacked together.
"Nae—FIGHTING!" Chaeyoung shouted, her voice bursting with energy.
"FIGHTING!"
"Now let's all call the next performer to the stage!" The Emcee shouted.
Llana and the others took the stage, forming their lines, the cheers of their supporters fading as they focused on the performance ahead.
Llana, Tzuyu, Momo, and Chaeyoung stood in a single diagonal line, their backs facing the audience. Llana at the front, Chaeyoung at the far edge.
The stage was dark, lit only by a few small spotlights that made them shine like figures carved from shadow.
The studio was silent. Everyone waited, breath held, anticipation thick in the air.
Then, a muted pluck of an electric guitar pierced the quiet. On the first beat, Momo executed a powerful, precise turn, her movement syncing perfectly with the sound.
A sparse, rhythmic whistle followed, funky and playful, bouncing over the initial guitar notes.
Another wave of muted guitar plucks and whistles swept through the space. Tzuyu spun gracefully, every motion landing sharply with the rhythm.
Another sequence of plucks and whistles, and Llana pivoted, her turn controlled and commanding. Chaeyoung followed last, each movement clipped, percussive, and perfectly timed.
Momo's voice cut through the quiet studio, soft at first but sharp enough to slice through the tension. The audience scream.
"I see that look upon your face…"
her hand tracing her face while her eyes locked on intensely to the audience. As she and the rest walk slowly forward.
"Something my mind cannot erase…"
Her left arm snapped across her body in a clean line, and for a heartbeat, she froze—letting the lyric hang in the air like a challenge.
The others kept minimal movements to highlight Momo.
"If we keep staring then I might have…"
"Tooo" Llana and Chaeyoung ad-libbed.
Momo's right arm shot forward, her hand spread open then rotate a closing. Staring at the audience with daring confidence.
Tzuyu moved forward covering Momo as they make a line, "Might have to start to walk your way I wanna hear what you would say You got high standards and I do too"
Tzuyu moved forward with deliberate confidence, her right foot leading while her shoulders rolled subtly to the rhythm. Her right arm extended in a graceful diagonal, left arm swinging back for balance, eyes locked on the target with teasing intent. Ending the lyrics with a wink.
Tzuyu moved away creating a circle with Momo and Chaeyoung and began circling around Llana, as Llana deliver her lines, " Cause all those girls"
"they don't" Chaeyoung ad-libbed, as she and the others brushed their toes on the floor, tapping twice.
"Know what you need—" Llana squatted slightly as she rolled her hips right and left.
"they don't—" Chaeyoung and the rest pointed at Llana.
"But I know, I know the way, the way / To make, to make sure you never leave (yeah)"
They all turned to the front, moving with sharp precision yet fluid grace, their steps synchronized to the beat.
"If I come close, baby, would you like that?" Llana step at the center with a smooth, deliberate step, her weight rolling through her hips. Her shoulders dipped slightly, confident but unhurried, as one hand traced inward—an unspoken question aimed straight ahead. They formed a diamond.
"If I give some, would you give it right back?"
She pulled the movement back toward herself, wrists turning outward in a clean, controlled motion. Chaeyoung mirrored her on the left with sharp precision, her movements tighter, more defined. Momo flowed on the right, softer through the waist, her timing immaculate. Behind them, Tzuyu matched the rhythm with long, elegant lines, her steps grounding the formation.
" Baby would you like that" (2x)
Then came Chaeyoung's rap parts
As Chaeyoung stepped forward to center stage, the spotlight locked onto her, Llana and Tzuyu gliding to the back in perfect sync, performing a fluid support dance that framed the front of the stage. Momo moved to the side, launching into a bold, playful dance that seemed to challenge Chaeyoung with every twist and spin. Unfazed, Chaeyoung rapped with sharp precision, her movements perfectly mirroring Momo's energy, creating a tense, electrifying call-and-response that crackled across the stage.
Llana sang again the pre-chorus." Cause all those girls, Know what you need , But I know, I know the way, the way To make, to make sure you never leave."
Meanwhile, in the waiting area, the other groups sat watching Llana's group perform.
"Daebak, their performance is on another level," Somi said, her jaw nearly dropping. She couldn't help it—this was something else entirely. Her eyes stayed locked on the stage, unwilling to miss even a single moment.
deep thud—thu-thud-thud—low, punchy, and alive, vibrated through the floor, signaling the arrival of the chorus.
Tzuyu and Momo stepped into the center as they sang the chorus together, with Llana and Chaeyoung flanking them on either side.
"In my arms, in my arms~" Chaeyoung positioned herself at the center as she sang the bridge. All four crossed their arms over their chests, hugging themselves as if holding the lyrics physically. Their hips swayed from right to left, rolling smoothly with the rhythm, shoulders following the motion naturally.
Then all of them sang the last chorus ending the performance with a dramatic ending.
A single breath hung in the air, thick and heavy, before it shattered under a booming roar from the audience. Cheers erupted all at once, crashing over the stage like a wave that refused to die down.
In the judging area, JYP burst into laughter, unable to hide it. Pride shone clearly across his face as he clapped hard, then rose to his feet, his applause ringing out just as loudly as the crowd's.
Llana and her group looked at each other, overwhelmed by the reaction of everyone around them, and they couldn't help but tear up a little.
Nayeon's team stood just off to the side of the stage, hands pressed over their ears as the audience's shouts grew deafening.
"It's so loud!" Jeongyeon shouted, but even as she did, her voice lacked its usual spark. The thunderous cheers felt like they were draining the energy from her and the rest of the team, leaving their limbs heavy and their chests tight.
Nayeon let out a slow breath, her shoulders dropping. "Let's get ready to face the losing opponent for the next match," she said quietly.
"They will certainly win this round. Their performance was better than ours, and they also have more fans," Chaeryeong said bitterly. Though they had performed well too, their opponents had simply done better.
They already knew who had won.
_______
Wow, writing this chapter was honestly pretty hard 😅 I'm afraid I didn't do the song justice 😬. Sorry about that🙏
By the way, for anyone who doesn't know, the song used here is "Like That" by BABYMONSTER.
When I first wrote this novel around 2–3 years ago, I originally planned to use Meghan Trainor's "Made You Look" for their performance since it was really popular at the time.
But I later decided to switch to a K-pop song, and coincidentally, "Like That" started playing on my Spotify playlist—so I went with it.
Also, have you guys noticed I've been dropping hints in the previous chapters about the title of the song? 🤣
I hope you enjoy the chapter💙